Hannah is a specialist advocate, practising primarily in criminal law, including homicides, and serious sexual and violent offences. Hannah regularly appears in the Crown Court across London and the South of England.

Hannah is also instructed to appear in Family Court cases, particularly where there is an overlap with criminal proceedings.

Recent notable cases include successfully appealing a sentence of 3 years’ imprisonment to a 2-year suspended sentence order for an 81-year-old man who had killed his wife.

Cases Include

R V M – 2015: Hannah represented a minicab driver charged with Rape who was only arrested for the offence over two years later. The first jury could not reach a verdict after two days’ deliberating. There will be a retrial.

R v M: Hannah represented a 23-year old man charged with causing death by dangerous driving. She was instrumental in giving full and frank advice to the Defendant at the earliest stage of proceedings, which allowed him full credit for entering a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity. This led to the sentencing judge reducing the sentence from an original figure of ten-and-a-half years to seven years’ imprisonment.

R V B - 2014: Hannah was led junior representing an 81-year-old man originally charged with Murder of his 83-year-old wife. Hannah successfully applied for bail after the Defendant had spent ten days in prison. She then, with the assistance of Queen’s Counsel, prepared the defence, including dealing with expert witnesses, such that the Crown accepted a guilty plea to Manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. She saw the case through to its conclusion at the Court of Appeal where the original sentence of three years’ imprisonment was reduced to two years’ imprisonment suspended for two years.

LB of Southwark v K – 2014: Hannah represented the Father in care proceedings that involved jurisdictional issues. Ultimately the Local Authority changed its Care Plan during proceedings, as a result of being ordered to undertake additional assessments, which allowed the child to live with its Mother and Maternal Grandmother in another country, rather than adopted in this country, which had been the original plan.

R v N – 2014: Hannah represented a young man accused of kidnapping his niece and wounding with intent, alongside his brother (the father of his niece). The Defendant was acquitted of both kidnap and wounding with intent. He was convicted of wounding without intent and received a suspended sentence order.

R v A-I – 2013/14: Hannah represented a juvenile who required the assistance of an intermediary, under a certificate for counsel, for a number of matters in the Youth Court, both resulting in acquittals. Hannah further represented him at the Crown Court in relation to an allegation of gang-related stabbing. The charge was dismissed by the Judge after her legal submissions.

R v L – 2012: Hannah represented a man of impeccable character who was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm and was facing a mandatory minimum 5-year sentence of imprisonment. Hannah successfully argued exceptional circumstances to reduce the period of imprisonment and the judge suspended the sentence, allowing him his liberty.

Professional Memberships

Member of the Honourable Society of Inner Temple

Pupil Supervisor

Criminal Bar Association

South Eastern Circuit

Young Fraud Lawyer’s Association

Career

LLB in Law - 2:1 from the London School of Economics and Political Science - 2004

Bar Vocational Course – Very Competent from BPP Professional 2005

Called to the Bar 2005

Qualified as a Barrister 2009

Joined Edward Hayes LLP in 2010

Testimonials

“Particular thanks to you Miss Smith for your careful and thoughtful preparation and handling of this case. It is refreshing to see someone who is well-versed and able to deal this rapidly changing area of practice.” Recorder, Portsmouth Crown Court, 2014

“Miss Smith’s skeleton argument is exactly as one should be; succinct, comprehensive and persuasive. I can see no argument against it.”Circuit Judge, Inner London Crown Court, 2014

“You (addressing the Defendant) are lucky you have a golden-tongued barrister representing you today.”Circuit Judge, Portsmouth Crown Court, 2012